Anime Roundtable

Mike begins the new one on one segment with an old friend as Angela finally makes her return visit to the Roundtable

First we do a quick update on the Kickstarter campaign for her new comic (2:43), how she’s managing during the pandemic (3:49), her visit to Japan ten years after her time there as an english teacher and how things had changed between the two times (7:44)…and Mike somehow managing to get the Yakuza video game back into that part of the conversation. Then we actually talked about her Kickstarter comic “The Moonstone Diadem”, how an Inktober challenge snowballed (13:03), specific influences in it like Utena (18:55), and her thoughts on being a fan of 90s anime in general as Mike updates her on older anime on streaming services (25:57). In the process Mike plugs NHK’s “10 Years with Miyazaki” documentary series again and the two end up talking about the emotional, mental and physical costs of work (29:03). Angela also comes back to her regular work on how expiring technologies effect archiving and evolution of games and their presteige as artforms (35:41). Then Mike reopens old wounds about Angela’s past feelings on Makoto Shinkai both then and now, and how Angela’s past feelings are becoming Mike’s current ones (38:55). Finally, Angela makes a wish to see the next “Made in Abyss” movie as we lament what should have been FanExpo Weekend in Toronto (43:30)

Mike Nicolas and Angela O'Hara

Angela's Links

Kickstarter page for The Moonstone Diadem: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/themoonstonediadem/the-moonstone-diadem-by-angela-ohara?ref=user_menu

Twitter: @fellminagames

Webpage: http://artbyangela.ca

Visit our website for more information and links:

https://animeroundtable.wordpress.com/2020/09/01/the-space-heater-chats-angela-ohara-august-29-2020/

Website: animeroundtable.com

Twitter and IG: @animeroundtable

Email: [email protected]

We began this time around with a repeat of our anti-racism declaration in light of the Jacob Blake shooting and subsequent events. Then we tried to get back on track by talking about Shiro Usazaki finally breaking her silence after the cancellation of the Act-Age manga (9:10). But it went completely off the rails as we found out about the passing of Chadwick Boseman (17:03). After taking a breath and regaining our composure, we finish up with the bullets (27:05) and a final thought about fandom’s current generational divide (56:26), in what has arguably been the toughest week of a very tough 2020

Mike Nicolas, James Austin, Kevin Ng, Mohamed Sharmarke

Visit our website for more information and links:

https://animeroundtable.wordpress.com/2020/08/30/anime-roundtable-v2-0-23-august-28-2020/

Website: animeroundtable.com

Twitter and IG: @animeroundtable

Email: [email protected]

We start the episode with Mike finally finishing Yakuza 0 (1:39), and Terrace House: Opening New Doors (3:00) and wonders how these foreshadow what’s to come in both series. Kevin talks about Kaiju #8 being his current manga read (8:52). James then briefly mentions Millionaire Detectives (11:58)

Kevin has a “Say it ain’t so” moment with the Tatsuya Matsuki incident (12:52). And where this event, which ended Act-Age, compares with similar incidents with people in the industry

Then we talk Sony and their move to give their animation operatons more prominance in their overall entertainment portfolio (43:26). How Sony’s overall business has changed over the last thirty years, away from electronics and more towards entertainment and video games (48:32). And their first look at possibly buying Crunchyroll and other possible suitors (1:03:07)

As we end, we give a quick shout out to the host of the Geek Eire Podcast (1:15:55), follow up thoughts to what was on Mike’s mind the week before (1:17:59), and Kevin points out that a milestone for us that quietly passed (1:23:30)

Mike Nicolas, James Austin, Kevin Ng, Mohamed Sharmarke

Visit our website for more information and links:

https://animeroundtable.wordpress.com/2020/08/17/anime-roundtable-v2-0-22-august-14-2020/

Website: animeroundtable.com

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With this week being the 75th Anniversary of the Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Mike shares his thoughts on what perhaps the most least appreciated english translated manga set during that time. And the legacy of the story on the discussion of the bombing itself

Moh couldn’t make it tonight and sent his regards. The scraps left over talked about the previous weekend’s online convention offerings (10:35) with Anime North’s Momiji’s Online Experience (13:08), and Comic Con @Home (36:07), along with their differences, what was actually seen, and how both their online versions were pretty similar to their traditional convention counterparts

In the second half of the show we briefly talk about Toshihiro Nagoshi’s (Yakuza’s Director) praise of Ghosts of Tsushima and how video game development differs in Japan and other parts of the world (51:53), the current issues with Sentai Filmworks in light of Crunchyroll taking down a chunk of their titles (1:05:25). Then each member of the roundtable makes a single recommendation to read or watch right now (1:14:45), and we end off on a follow up to a story we mentioned two years ago on the One World Kimono Project (1:30:10)

All this before Mike finally finished Yakuza 0 a few hours later

Mike Nicolas, James Austin, Kevin Ng

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https://animeroundtable.wordpress.com/2020/07/31/6ixtalk-anime-roundtable-v2-0-21-july-31-2020/

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Twitter and IG: @animeroundtable

Email: [email protected]

Editor’s Note: It took Mike more than ten days between taping this episode and eventually posting it. If you listen very closely, you’ll know why that happened pretty quickly

We give our recaps of Funimation Con, Anime Expo Lite, and Aniplex Online a week after they had happened. Kevin and James talk at length on the licenses announced peppered with further thoughts on the digital and physical distribution of manga, light novels, and even video games (3:10). Then a thought on the concerts seen (37:30). And we finish by looking ahead to Anime North and Otakuthon’s online offerings (45:22)

Hopefully the turnaround for the next episode won’t take double digit days

Mike Nicolas, James Austin, Kevin Ng, Mohamed Sharmarke

Visit the website for more information and links: https://animeroundtable.wordpress.com/2020/07/21/6ixtalk-anime-roundtable-v2-0-digest-5-july-10-2020/

Website: animeroundtable.com

Twitter and IG: @animeroundtable

Email: [email protected]

We start the talk that matters with Mike’s thoughts after finishing the Wotakoi anime and starting Yakuza 0 (5:15), then first impressions of Funimation Con and Anime Expo Lite and look ahead to the continuation of those and Aniplex Online (14:39)

In the second segment, we’ll revisit the Terrace House/Hana Kimura fallout (47:08), and Ghibli on Netflix Canada with Mohamed (51:12), and wonder where do Canadian Anime fans sit in the grand scheme of worldwide fandom (54:40). And then we end of on something concerning a life sized Re:Zero model (1:10:24)

Mike Nicolas, James Austin, Kevin Ng, Mohamed Sharmarke

Visit website for more notes and links: https://animeroundtable.wordpress.com/2020/07/03/6ixtalk-anime-roundtable-v2-0-20-july-3-2020/

Website: animeroundtable.com

Twitter and IG: @animeroundtable

Email: [email protected]

Let’s be honest, when something happens you’re happy about, you’re not really picky about how it happened. Especially when you think it wouldn’t happen. But then sometimes you are curious about how the loose ends got tied up

On the heels of the news of Netflix Canada acquiring the rights to stream the Studio Ghibli catalogue on Monday, Zannen Canada’s Jesse Betteridge joins the virtual table to talk about what may have happened behind the scenes to make the deal happen, and who may have lost out on a missed opportunity

Mike Nicolas, James Austin, Kevin Ng, with guest Jesse Betteridge

Show notes and Links: https://animeroundtable.wordpress.com/2020/06/22/6ixtalk-anime-roundtable-v2-0-digest-4-june-22-2020/

Website: animeroundtable.com

Twitter and IG: @animeroundtable

Email: [email protected]

Mike opens up with some thoughts on the current anti-racist protests (1:45). Then we actually start on the regular talk going back to the digest three weeks back (12:15), with the memorial service for Zac Bertschy (13:28), and the Japanese fallout from death of Hana Kimura and the price of fame in the reality television and social media age (19:56). Kevin then returns to give his thoughts on the first segment (42:20), and then the bullets (49:22)

- Cloud Matsuri, the UK’s noteworthy shot at the virtual con. And the announcements coming from it (49:44)

- Tokyo Keizai article about Anime Industry’s reservations about Netflix (1:05:00)

- Studio Ghibli streaming, HBO Max and Canada (1:11:16)

- Julian Lai Hung hired by Crunchyroll after working for Netflix (1:25:25)

- Shaman King anime reboot (1:28:37)

- The unveiling of the PS5. And the change of strategy in the initial hardware release (1:34:33)

- Kota Fukihara passes away (1:41:26)

- Shintaro Tsuji steps down as head of Sanrio at age 92 (1:44:35)

*laid out in actual bullets

And we’ll end off with what’s on our queue’s as the pandemic finally sees some light at the end of the tunnel (1:48:39). Count how many mic cut offs happen throughout the episode…and who got cut off

Mike Nicolas, James Austin, Mohamed Sharmarke, Kevin Ng

Check our website for further show notes and links:

https://animeroundtable.wordpress.com/2020/06/13/6ixtalk-anime-roundtable-v2-0-19-june-13-2020/

Website: animeroundtable.com

Twitter and IG: @animeroundtable

Email: [email protected]

We look back on a difficult weekend for fandom on what would have been the final day of Anime North. First we look back on the legacy left by Zac Bertschy in light of his sudden passing last week (2:37). Then we talk about the death of professional wrestler and Terrace House star Hana Kimura (25:44). After we actually lament the Anime North that isn’t (37:39). Then we finally lighten it up by talking about what would be one of the highlights of Anime North, the online presentation of Anime Hell (40:33). And finally we talk about the Humble Manga Bundle if you’re into reading your manga with an “e” (49:40)

Mike Nicolas, James Austin, Kevin Ng

In light of what was talked about in this episode, if you or anyone you know are having any suicidal thoughts, help is available. National suicide prevention lines are available in the US at 1-800-273-8255, and in Canada at 1-833-456-4566, also Canada has the Kids Help Phone 1-800-668-6868

Episode Show Notes: https://animeroundtable.wordpress.com/2020/05/24/6ixtalk-anime-roundtable-v2-0-digest-3-may-24-2020/

Website: animeroundtable.com

Twitter and IG: @animeroundtable

Email: [email protected]